According to a court sitting in Houston Texas in the United States, the duo of Kola Aluko, Jide Omokore are being tried for alleged bribery and embezzlement of funds to acquire choice property for the erstwhile minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The court has started the hearing has released the charge sheet.


Read the summary below:

This is an action in rem to forfeit approximately $144 million in assets, and any property traceable thereto, derived from an international conspiracy to obtain lucrative business opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas sector in return for corruptly offering and giving millions of dollars’ worth of gifts and benefits to the former Nigerian Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke (“ALISON-MADUEKE”); and to subsequently launder the proceeds of the illicit business opportunities into and through the United States.

From in or about April 2010 until in or about May 2015, ALISON-MADUEKE—who was often referred to as “the Madam” or “Madam D”—was Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources. In that role, she was responsible for overseeing Nigeria’s state-owned oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (“NNPC”).

As alleged herein, Kolawole Akanni Aluko (“ALUKO”), Olajide Omokore (“OMOKORE”), and others: (i) conspired to and did purchase millions of dollars in real estate in and around London, U.K., for the use and benefit of ALISON-MADUEKE and her family; (ii) conspired to and did provide more than one million dollars in furniture, artwork, and other furnishings purchased within the Southern District of Texas, and shipped, in part, to London and Abuja, Nigeria, for the use and benefit of ALISON-MADUEKE and her family; and (iii) conspired to and did otherwise fund a lavish and privileged lifestyle for ALISON-MADUEKE and her family.

As further alleged herein, ALISON-MADUEKE, in return for such improper inducements, used her influence as the Minister for Petroleum Resources to steer to companies beneficially owned by ALUKO and OMOKORE the award of multiple Strategic Alliance Agreements (“SAAs”) with an NNPC subsidiary.

As further alleged herein, the companies that received these SAAs were unqualified and either improperly performed their obligations or, in some instances, failed entirely to perform. Nevertheless, these companies received more than $1.5 billion in revenues through the sale of Nigerian crude oil.

As further alleged herein, ALUKO and OMOKORE laundered their illicit revenues into and through the United States and, in particular, used these revenues to acquire the Defendants In Rem.

As further alleged herein, ALUKO and OMOKORE used a series of shell companies and layered financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, and/or ownership of the proceeds of the unlawful conduct and of the Defendants In Rem purchased with such proceeds.


https://pageone.ng/2017/07/19/how-kola-aluko-jide-omokore-and-oil-traders-allegedly-bribed-diezani/